Fido’s new beginnings

As we reported yesterday, Canada’s Fido has undergone a serious re-branding effort (with a fugly logo to boot) to position itself as a low-cost, no system access/hidden fees alternative to the big name carriers in the Canadian wireless marketplace. Offering plans for a little as $15 a month and most phones going for $0 on a 2-year deal, Fido hopes to prove to be a huge hit with cost-conscious consumers. The most popular plan from the new Fido could very well be Full Fido, which offers 2,000 per-second minutes and unlimited texting for $40 a month. In case you were starting to worry, yes, Fido is still carrying the iPhone 3G and it might even be a good idea to sign with them over Rogers as you’ll save yourself $6.95 a month by not having to pay the bogus and dreaded System Access Fee.

Michael,
Aside from the System Access Fee they also charge a Fee for 911 on top of this.
Bu I agree their new page and Logo is not pretty.

Mitch

I would LOVE to see something similar to this in the US (on gsm of course).

http://ianmurchison.com Ian

Awesome! I just canceled from Rogers last month, this could be a good alternative.

Ranter

I went into a Fido store (I currently pay a monthly plan, but not bounded by a contract). Before they launched this new pricing scheme, I could change my plan freely from month to month (e.g. from $20/month to the $40/month).

So I obviously wanted to change my plan to the new $20 plan (so I don’t have to pay extra for text msg or a service fee…) but they needed me to pay $25 initiation fee (they took $10 off since I was an existing customer)

Personally, this is BULL. Why, as an existing customer, should have to be punished in paying a stupd initiation fee, when now I can’t change my plans freely without paying this fee!

Just a rant.

Stewart

Notice the conditions for the monthly contracts.

You use air time for the ringer portion of incoming calls… So, if your phone rings for 30 seconds before you answer… your billed / use 30 seconds of air time!!

Ditto when you call out..

“# Outgoing calls: Airtime charges (plus long distance, if applicable) apply to completed calls from the time you press SEND until you press END.
# Incoming calls: Airtime charges (plus long distance, if applicable) apply to every call you answer on your wireless phone until you press END. Charges will start at the moment the calling party initiates the call and include the ring time.”

renku

Fido just changed our plan after we requested to keep our old one. Although our old plan “cost” at more $26 a month, we had a $10 bundle discount (from before they were Rogers) and the system access fee was $2.70, as well we received two features free. End cost $21.41 with taxes.. The new bill arrived today $25.00 plan with a $5.00 plan credit and a new system access fee of $6.95 and no extra features, end cost $33.24 (pro-rated not even a full month). So add two features at $6 each and now I have a bill that is over $45 so lets say more than twice as much. Lets watch those savings add up kid!